Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-10-03
THE WATER SERVICE.
The District Commissioners Eurnish
Information as to the Laws, &c.
THEIR ANSWER TO THE INQUIRIES OF THE SUB CON-
MITTEE ON WATER AND SEWERS OF THE COMMITTEE
OF ONE HUNDRED

OF ONE HUNDRED
The District Commissioners have addressed the
Following communication to Mr.. w. 81. Singleton,
chairman of the sub committee on water and
sewers OF the Citizens Committee of One Hundred,
which will come before that body for action on the
18th instant:
Sir: In response to your communication OF Sep
tenoer II requesting Official information upon
several points touching the administration OF the
water service OF the District, am instructed to
state that the Commissioners take pleasure in
furnishing the Information desired, and that their
formal response would have reached you more
promptly had not other urgent public matters de-
manded their attention. The delay probably is OF
less Importance, that the personal conference
with your committee had at the time OF submit
tlng tne request and the personal letter OF Cox
LuulOw TO you OF date September IA fully covered
Inost OF the 1nterr0gat0res and lett little more
thereto
ISL AS to the reference to line Of the last para
graph vi page 25 OF The report OF the Commission
ea1 a ior Inc year 1856 the word rental" is cer-
Cal error or miSprint for 'revenue" as both the
general context and the facts of the case show,
lhe commissioners not intending in that place to
enter upon full or analytical discussion OF the
SUBJECT, but giving lntimat1on merely that the
increasing fixed charges for interest and sinking
Iund due 10 the expenditures for the construction
vi tne new aqueduct and reservoir, OF which the
District is charged with One-half the cost, to be
reimbursed TO the United States within twenty
y
with need for considerable expenditures to meet
urgent present deficiencies in the service, all TO De
PAID Tor from water collections, might cali for some
increase IN the water revenues.
THE LAWS IN RELATION TO WATER REVENUES.
%. The laws controlling the disposition of water
revenues are several Of which for brevtty's sake
reference will be made only TO the most important
The act Of March 3, 1853, authorizes the cities
inhabitants from the Aqueduct and mains laid or
TO De laid and to make all laws and regulations
for The proper distribution, provided no expense
act authorizes Inc cities to establish scale of
annual rates for the ''supply and use OF said
me F. anu ms 70 increase ; sn or reduce the same from
source OF revenue other than to keep up the sup
ply,
Under this act were made the ordinances relat-
Ing 10 the water service set forth in Webbs
Digest, among which are the following, VIZ:
f.d The said M water registrar shall deposit weekly,
rates; tapping mains erecting hre plugs enforcing
Of the water fund such bank or institution as may
pe by law to receive the deposits Of the col
certificate from the proper bank officer Of each de-
post 30 made lie shall keep his Office the City Hail.
SSuna4s from O'Clock in the morning to o'clock in
o "av \ Al ~ money paid into the city treasury
credit the water fund to which it IS excusiveiy aud
nvlosbly appropriated and apart and shall not be
the salaries Of the officers belonging the said
department and the principal and interest all loans
made therefor And no moneys belonging to the water
specific appropriations and then only by warrants
WI 81. III = p!slt 6ann sitned by the mayor aud
~A.>r e.. ttar I.llIediately after enter
Ing upon tue duties Of his Office. annually on or
OF from to thirty days IN al lest two daily news
papers published in Washington having the largest
cate to be Transmitted one copy to the president of
the board of aldermen and copy the president
Lea hing
during the current year. delivered in this CITY, of all
stops ana ohss ea
article or thing required in distributing the water"
The act OF March 3, 1863, authorizes the city OF
washington TO levy u water tax on real property
binding upon or touching any street, &C., In which
water main has been or may be laid either by
the United states OF the District.
The act OF the Legislative Assembly OF June o.
1873, contains the following:
SEC. = .h. AmG be Jurther enaeed That the water
pluxs, well all other moneys pertaining to the
the eoaeoT Of
the District and he shan deposit all no,eys received
I'll to tb Of fire plugs 81 1 j. directed by preceding sections
be deposited credit Of the ,eatsrSana to Be used
ezcusiceyJor the support of tie scater depdrtment
The act OF July 15, 1882, contains the follow
ing:
ANY surplus Of water rents over and above the ex.
pense Of maintaining the works and appendases and
the redemption of outstanding bonds heretofore is
OF ss he Of p s b works in the city
United Sta es by the officer who may he charged with
e1ead until he % same 0 shall e be uay al exsi
gnshed and the water rents shall be regulated from
and the interest the capital created IN ac-
Imposed thereon BY law.
the successive % District appropriation acts Of
G july iss eaxs = 1ss Feh Sa
ruary %, 1885, vol. 22 page 319; July g. 1885 vol
"a, page 1877; and March s. 1887, vol "A, page $50
containing the following provision:
The following sums are hereby appropriated to
carry on the operations Of the wate; dearteat to be
1as Sa.a ''''v FROM ITS 'seess unless 0ter'''ss pro.
Ihe act Of July s, 1884, imposes upon the Com
mlsolonerS the duty OF estimating as part OF the
expenses OF the Water department an amount to
be fixed by the United States necessary to rerund
In twenty-five annual installments the advances
made by the United States CONSTITUTING One-half
the amounts expended for the aqueduct and reser-
yoir, at per cent. Chapter q OF the Revised
Statutes OF the United States relating to the Dis
trlct OF Columbia, repeating, re-enacting and mod
Tying prior legislation, contains the following:
Revised Statutes OF the District Of Columbia,
chap. 8, secs. 1877 to 2O3, inclusive:
SEC. 1877. The legislative assembly has anthor;tv
to establish scale OF annual for the supply and
Ssns secosnx % ep to different
@ @satue h exposure &c hres, uses for dwellings, stores
Der OF OCCUPANTS consumption Of water, measured
by meter or otherwise, and TO modify, alter anend
Of t,S 6adss and 1na
tapsnnehss; 10 provide tor the collection of such
occupants OF all buildings or establishments nsin1 the
water to provide for stopping the supply of water to
any dwelling or establishment upon failure to pay
necessary to supply the Inhabitants of Washnxton and
Georsetown with pure and wholesome water, and to
rc !S s i@ ensst the Of the chapter
Georgetown stall never be source of reyenne other
tnan AZ means OF Keeping up said cities supply
OF water but shall constitute fund exclusyeiv for
telu Of water distribution f N ~ -"
SEC. i93 water tax may be levied and collected
1ngton which binds or touches on any avenue street
or alley IN which main waerpipe may be laid by the
United States or by the District ~
SEC. 200 The water tax shall he "A nearly aa no.s
BILE equal and uniform. - fO"
SEC 2O1 The water tax may be levied on lots in
determined by law aud may be Collected In not less
than three nor more than five annual installments
SEC 2O2 All such installments after the frst shall
menciny from ut which the first be-
comes due but May at the option the owner Of the
property taxed be paid and discharged in fun at any
SEC 2O3 The water tax authorized to be levied and
by the provisions Of the four preceding sec
ons shall constitute fund to be used excusiyely to
defray the cost of distribution of the water incindin
an necessary fixtures and machinery connected with
Whl.e the Revised Statutes of the United States
relating to the District Of COLUMBIA regulate the
disposition to be made OF water raies and water
taxes In separate sections, viz 1873 and 2O3 care
iul reading OF these sections will show that no
distinctf0n really exists In the use to be made OF
the collections from the two sources the diner
ences being In the methods of levying aud collect
Ing, and not of ultimate disposition. Furthermore
Inc LAX could be collected by lien and the rent
only by deprivation OF supply.
, Ihat tnls has always been the understanding of
the legislative assembly and by the uniiOrm prac-
lice OF the District government and the Accounting